In Denmark we now have super cheap DVD players in every supermarket. Prices are around dkk 500,00 (80 US$) for one that can play DVD/CD/CDRW/MP3/DTS/DivX/5.1 ch. analog + digital out etc. (everything). Even a karaoke function with 2 microphone inputs ..
So i wondered if a machine like that could ever have potential as a hifi sound source.... I got one and took it apart.
To my great surpise i found that it contained the Wolfson Microelectronics WM8746 converter. It is a very good 24 bit 192 kHz converter. The analog stage was only one (SMD) opamp per 2 channels. So it was easy to upgrade, so after replacing the opamp to the LM6172 (about 5$) and the DC blocking caps to Black Gate NX Hi-Q now my analog stage was in good condition. I put in the LClock XO3 just to see how much sound can be squeezed out of an 80$ DVD player.
After waiting for like 30 seconds before the DVD player recognised that it had been fed a CD, the sound began to emerge. Amazing! Really good soundstage, deep and firm bass, and airy clear top. (First impressions).
Real fun project, and why spend 1000's on a high end CD player if you can live with the start delay, i think with a DVD like this you might be just as good off. Also probably even more tweaks can be done to it, and at this price, it is fun to play with.
Do you have these players in other countries out there?
So i wondered if a machine like that could ever have potential as a hifi sound source.... I got one and took it apart.
To my great surpise i found that it contained the Wolfson Microelectronics WM8746 converter. It is a very good 24 bit 192 kHz converter. The analog stage was only one (SMD) opamp per 2 channels. So it was easy to upgrade, so after replacing the opamp to the LM6172 (about 5$) and the DC blocking caps to Black Gate NX Hi-Q now my analog stage was in good condition. I put in the LClock XO3 just to see how much sound can be squeezed out of an 80$ DVD player.
After waiting for like 30 seconds before the DVD player recognised that it had been fed a CD, the sound began to emerge. Amazing! Really good soundstage, deep and firm bass, and airy clear top. (First impressions).
Real fun project, and why spend 1000's on a high end CD player if you can live with the start delay, i think with a DVD like this you might be just as good off. Also probably even more tweaks can be done to it, and at this price, it is fun to play with.
Do you have these players in other countries out there?
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Lars, are those transistors to be seen in the second picture muting transistors? If yes, try removing them and putting in muting relais (shunting) instead. What about the power supply?
In Germany we have the same offers, I guess they are that cheap because they are based on computer DVD drive chipsets.
Btw, a shop pays sale tax only on the difference between buying and selling price
In Germany we have the same offers, I guess they are that cheap because they are based on computer DVD drive chipsets.
Btw, a shop pays sale tax only on the difference between buying and selling price
Hi!
Once I went through your thread I went out to local market to find one such DVD player and not to my surprise got a busted one around Rs 1500/= thats about 25$ I opened it up and fount that mechanical along pickup lens was busted, I had an extra Toshiba DVD Drive and hooked it up with the player through standard IDE port provided on the motherboard, I put in a DVD and Wahlaa its working fine, not a bad DVD Player thats worth $ 25.
Once I went through your thread I went out to local market to find one such DVD player and not to my surprise got a busted one around Rs 1500/= thats about 25$ I opened it up and fount that mechanical along pickup lens was busted, I had an extra Toshiba DVD Drive and hooked it up with the player through standard IDE port provided on the motherboard, I put in a DVD and Wahlaa its working fine, not a bad DVD Player thats worth $ 25.
Lars Clausen said:In Denmark we now have super cheap DVD players in every supermarket. Prices are around dkk 500,00 (80 US$) for one that can play DVD/CD/CDRW/MP3/DTS/DivX/5.1 ch. analog + digital out etc. (everything). Even a karaoke function with 2 microphone inputs ..
I just seen a Comercial on the TV the other night for an Apex DVD player for $29... Leads me to wonder where this pricing trend will bottom out...
next thing you know it'll be more to buy a DVD than the player...
"ORANGE CITY, Fla. (Nov. 29) - A mob of shoppers rushing for a sale on DVD players trampled the first woman in line and knocked her unconscious as they scrambled for the shelves at a Wal-Mart Supercenter.
Patricia VanLester had her eye on a $29 DVD player, but when the siren blared at 6 a.m. Friday announcing the start to the post-Thanksgiving sale, the 41-year-old was knocked to the ground by the frenzy of shoppers behind her."
Patricia VanLester had her eye on a $29 DVD player, but when the siren blared at 6 a.m. Friday announcing the start to the post-Thanksgiving sale, the 41-year-old was knocked to the ground by the frenzy of shoppers behind her."
The funny thing about the Apex DVD player is that it can't handle a DVD! I bought one, just for fun, and returned it the same day. I just popped The Matrix in and as soon as there were gun shots, you could easily see the frame rate drop to 15-25 fps. This is really annoying! Fast action scenes were sort of split in half horizontally. The bottom half not getting refreshed by the processor because it took all of its processing power to do the top half... 
I don’t know about the audio CD capabilities of this player though… Might be worth the $29
Sébastien
I don’t know about the audio CD capabilities of this player though… Might be worth the $29
Sébastien
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